Cleansing of the Force
by Adam Arnold
Summary: Sequel to Shield of Darkness, Anakin and young padawan Luke are sent by the Council to investigate a drug ring on Corellia. What they find could very well grow out of hand.(Complete)
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Free Enterprise

The man known only as Ollo stood staring out his window into the deep forest of Corellia. He watched as darkness fell, allowing the shadows to thrive among the bases of the evergreens. Every night at this time a blue hazed shroud fell upon the world, smothering it in its blanket. Ollo loved this time of day. He never truly was the kind of person that enjoyed daylight. Darkness and shadow had always been more welcome in his heart.

Behind him, a man was brought in by two burly guards, squirming and moaning. Upon his brow was a huge gash dripping with crimson liquid. He obviously wasn't having the best of days. As the guards dragged him in, they tossed his cursing form upon the red velvet carpet.

"Welcome, Olessa," Ollo said, not turning from his focus upon the forest. "I must apologize for the unexpectedness of this meeting."

"What do you want, Ollo?" The human male sneered, wiping the oozing blood from his nose.

"It's come to my attention that you've been purchasing spice from other agents. This is not good for business, Olessa. If other businesses get in they way, it disturbs my sales."

"I've done nothing of the such." Olessa replied indignantly. "It's an insult that you would even think such!"

"NO!" Ollo turned around, slamming his fists down upon his thick massassi desk. "It's an insult to me! If I can't find a seller that can be trusted, I must move along to one that can."

Olessa's eyelids dropped. He knew what was going to happen. Nothing could save him now. He was now designated for extinction.

"I must apologize for what I have to do, Olessa. Perhaps you will serve your ancestors more properly than you've served me."

"Don't do this, Ollo. Please, I beg you."

The report of blaster fire ran through the building. After the putrid smoke of burning flesh and bone dissipated, the body of Dax Olessa slumped to the floor, a perfect hole burrowed through his skull. In a matter of milliseconds, the Corellian drug dealer known as Dax Olessa was dead.

Ollo smiled, taking a seat in a leather chair. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, friend."


	2. Chapter 1

1

As dusk settled over Coruscant, a gleaming speeder came to rest upon one of the many landing areas of the Jedi Temple. It landed with such precision that anyone watching knew instantly who piloted it. It was Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master. He had become, in the eyes of the Republic, the unofficial idol of the Jedi Order. If anyone thought _Jedi_, they thought _Anakin_.

He opened the cockpit, and slid down the smooth side onto the duracreet surface. Anakin had aged almost ten years since his battle with Darth Sidious, and was no longer a young boy, but a full grown man, and would never allow anyone but Yoda to call him such. Upon his face a beard had grown, spreading from ear to ear. He was a man now.

Behind him came running the young padawan Luke Skywalker. He had grown in some size and almost rivaled his father's tall stature. He was now a young man at the age of fourteen, strong and proud. A lock of curly blonde hair fell down from behind his right ear. This was Luke Skywalker, son of the Chosen one.

As they made their way across the landing pad, they were met with two familiar characters. If seen, they would have almost been a mirror image of one another. Obi-Wan was the first to speak.

"It's been too long, my old friend."

Anakin smiled broadly. "Indeed it has Master."

The two twins hugged tightly, paying no attention to their masters.

"You do realize, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, leading them toward the Temple's transparisteel doors. "That I'm not your Master anymore. You needn't call me that."

"I will always call you Master, Obi-Wan."

They both chuckled, stepping inside.

**The** Jedi Council had been convened, as it had been for millennia, under the roof of the circular room in the Jedi Temple. Everyone seemed to be quite older, and many upon the Council had changed. Some had died of old age, while others had joined. The force was a forever-moving circle of life, and with it came the revolution and evolution of the Jedi Council. Though it had changed so, Anakin always felt it as his second home. There was no other place in the Galaxy that invoked such emotions of comfort and serenity as the Jedi temple.

Mace Windu took his seat next to the aging Yoda at the helm of the Council. He didn't speak for a few moments, allowing the members to get acquainted with another again. This Council meeting wasn't as grave as they had been in the last few decades.

Finally beginning to speak, he quieted everyone. "This Council has been brought in session by formal request of the Supreme Chancellor. It appears that the rise of drug dealing across the galaxy has been interfering with the Republic as a whole. Now when the Kessel spice runs began, it wasn't a huge deal, and the Republic had no control over it. It never seemed to be more than small cases scattered across the galaxy, but lately an unknown Corellian drug lord has been causing some problems."

Anakin shifted in his seat. "What kind of problems?"

"Let's just say that he has enough money to organize and supply a large army. With such an army, it's a threat to the Republic. It's one thing for Corellia to organize one, but for a single man to do so without proper notification of the Republic is another."

"What kind of scale are we talking about, Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"One that if not dealt with could very well rival the Clone Wars in intensity."

Padme had not mentioned any of this to Anakin, and frankly, it upset him. He wondered what other problems she had been hiding. The point of it was _why_ she hid this from him. After a few moments, he took refuge in the fact that it was simply held from him to prevent distraction from more important matters.

"Now we know that most of the systems are once again siding with the Republic," Mace continued. "But we still have to think of the many outer rim systems that are not in concurrence with our Government."

"Appears it does," Yoda said from his chair. "That the origin of this problem Corellia is." Anakin noted that Yoda looked frail and weak. Age was finally taking a grip on the legendary Master. For so long Yoda had eluded the clutches of time, standing short and proud for over 800 years, but they were finally catching up to him.

"Thus we are going to send a few Jedi to inspect and silently watch over this new militia. Taking into consideration that we have no idea who heads this spice ring, we are going to send three."

"Pick Skywalker, Kenobi, and Nang-Da for the mission we do."

The three nodded. Anakin glanced over at the human female known as Afe Nang-Da, measuring her through the force. She was one of the most beautiful females he had ever seen. Her face reminded him of Padme, with black hair in thin braids around her shoulders. Afe had been a member of the Jedi Council for only five years, and in that time she had proven herself time and again as a powerful healer and warrior. Her highest achievement was attained after taking down a mandalorian force-adept on Balmorra. Since, she had been a respected Jedi Master, using her decision-making skills well. To the Jedi Council, she was an asset.

Mace Windu crossed his arms. "We look forward to your reports, and can only hope to settle this matter quickly."

With the end of his sentence, the Council session came to a close. No other words were spoken, save between the three Masters designated to leave.

"I'll have my wife provide us with a cruiser," Anakin told Afe. "Considering we have so many going with us."

She nodded. "Before we leave I must check the Jedi archives for information on Corellia's atmosphere."

Both Anakin and Obi-Wan's eyebrows dropped to a scowl of curiousity. She quickly noticed their mental questions.

"I'm highly allergic to most atmospheres. Just like Master Kloon, I must wear an air purifier. The only place in the galaxy clean enough to not wear it is here in this very temple." She hoped that would satiate their questions.

Anakin and Obi-Wan took their leave of Afe and the Temple, making way to inform their padawans of the sudden change in plans.

As Obi-Wan walked next to Anakin, he searched through the force, trying to find some information on their newest mission. Something from the very beginning didn't sound completely right about it. Though he couldn't put his finger on it, he trusted that the feeling didn't come from Supreme Chancellor Amidala. It was something on Corellia. The other Masters were right for sending three to investigate instead of just one. He could only wonder for the rest of the day. _Perhaps_, he thought. _Anakin had some thoughts on it as well._


	3. Chapter 2

2

**Ollo** made his way slowly through his hidden Corellian base, pacing countless halls that lead downward deeper underground. His mind was on business matters. The intricate drug ring that he constructed from the bottom up was growing too large for him to handle. Though he thought such, no one would ever hear those words escape his mouth. His leadership was based upon threats and false affirmations of his will, and any faltering would end in disaster. The Corellian crime ring was more than just a dog eat dog world, for the throat cuts came quicker than the ear or eye could sense. In this world he was revered, and if it wasn't so, he would have already been cold underground.

At the end of a ramp, Ollo came to a secured durasteel door, and with a few keycode punches, it hissed open, revealing a large open room. Harsh false lighting crackled on, illuminating it in a haze or pure light that could have rivaled the sun. Personally, Ollo hated it. He couldn't stand light of any sort, but simultaneously understood that the room's lighting was important. He was about to inspect his newest toy.

In the center of the room, upon a hydraulic transparisteel pedestal, were two gloves. They seemed to be constructed of ordinary leather, most likely from one of Corellia's indigenous creatures. What lay within each were quite extraordinary. The gloves, once placed upon the hand reached completely up the wrist, ending in a hem at the elbow. Upon the outer wrists of both gloves were two metal cylinders separated by about ten inches. To the untrained eye they seemed nothing more than common decoration. In truth they were a new technological advancement that could defend even a light saber attack. When activated by a switch on the top of the hand, a beam, similar to the blade of a light saber extended from one cylinder to the opposite, creating a barrier. It was the new line of defense against the Jedi who tried to quell "free enterprise."

Ollo placed the gloves upon his hands, slapped the switch, and instructed the room's defenses to begin attacking. Mounted blasters in the corners began to fire off a constant barrage of laser fire, and with these beam shields, Ollo parried every one. After a few minutes of training with them, he ended the faux battle by sending the beams back to all four corners of the room, blowing the blasters to smoldering shrapnel. _They'll do just fine, _Ollo thought.

**Anakin**, who was obviously the first choice to pilot, powered up the repulsors on the _Constantantium_, bringing it to a low hover over the landing pad on Coruscant. He tapped a few controls and sent the ship upward into the smoggy skies. Beside him sat Obi-Wan, and behind them were the twins and Afe.

"I've already begun the calculations for jump, Master," Anakin said, keeping his eyes on the transparisteel viewport.

Afe adjusted the purifier on her face, which almost completely covered the beauty beneath. She seemed at first uneasy about Anakin's piloting, despite his reputation for being the best pilot in the galaxy. Truthfully it wasn't Skywalker who made her uneasy, it was flight itself.

"Don't be afraid, Master Nang-Da," Luke piped up. "My father is the best pilot in the galaxy."

Under normal circumstances, the reaffirmation might have annoyed her, but the innocent look upon the Padawan's face annihilated every trace of it. She appreciated the Jedi youth, remembering quite fondly her own past. Every child is born with the idea that their parents are the best at whatever they do, but in this case it was completely true. Luke spoke no lie when he said his father was the best. She personally watched him bring in the detached half of General Grievous' flagship at the end of the Clone Wars, and ever since, her opinions sided with the Chosen one's son. Anakin _was_ the best, and it would be quite some time before another usurped his position.

Obi-Wan rechecked the jump coordinates, and then ran them through R2-D2 who sat jacked into the _Constantium's_ navigation computer. He did so not out of insecurity of Anakin's navigation, but merely for safety measures. No one wanted to end up as an oil spot on some rock in the middle of an asteroid belt, and he was certainly one of them.

The droid whistled in acknowledgement.

"R2 says the coordinates are correct, Anakin. We can make the jump as soon as we're out of the atmosphere."

As Anakin piloted the craft, watching the golden evening atmosphere morph into the pitch of space, he had many thoughts on his mind. Most concerned the mission, which was his ordained duty, but a few strayed away from topic. He pondered over Padme. It had been so long since she'd been able to see her children, and he knew that it must have had an effect on her. Honestly, he couldn't imagine a moment without Luke near him. Leia was not left out. This was the fact that drove the point home. He had been away for nearly a month without seeing Leia's beautiful face. Even in that short amount of time, she had grown so, maturing into a magnificent young woman.

Bringing himself from his revery, he turned to the others. "When we jump, we'll need to have a meeting. It's best if we know our plans before we actually reach Coruscant."

They all nodded. As Obi-Wan did, he had the most curious sensation. It was as if he were looking directly at himself in the pilot's chair. Anakin had become the spitting image of Obi-Wan. It almost frightened the aging Master. What came with the shock was a tremendous amount of honor and respect for the young man.

Anakin stroked his thin brown beard, peering over the navigation computer screen. He watched the seconds count down to jump.

"Here, we go. Luke, Leia, strap yourselves in tightly."

The two did so without hesitation, for they knew the burst of speed was far too fast for the gravity engines to compensate. If they didn't strap in securely, they'd both be thrown around the cockpit like two fugitive blaster beams.

The control panel claxon sounded, and before they knew, the stars wheeled overhead, changing from pin pricks to beams of light. Hyperspace waited for them.


	4. Chapter 3

3

**The** stars seemed tono longer bedots in the distant heavens but more a dense blanket of blue and white clouds traveling by the viewport of the _Constantium_. Anakin gazed over the control panel, going through one last checklist before he allowed the autopilot to take over.

Obi-Wan disconnected his crash webbing and made way behind the twins to a large round table that lay in the center of the ship. They each took a seat facing one another. Afe soon joined them.

It was quite some time before Anakin found his way to the table. He had a ton of thoughts on his mind, and they were like a pack of starfighters on his tail. He just couldn't shake them off. A sense of darkness had fallen about this mission, and though he felt the others knew, it had yet to come up in conversation. He finally dropped his head into his hands and took a seat adjacent of Obi-Wan.

"Given that our faces are more than well-known throughout the galaxy, a plan to infiltrate this drug ring will be nearly impossible," Obi-Wan stated, running his fingers along the reflective marble table.

"A disguise could end in failure as well," Afe mumbled. "Considering that there is an unusual amount of dark presence surrounding this mission."

Anakin knew the others felt it! If one thing hadn't aged in his years of being a Jedi, it was his ability to sense things.

"So what _are_ our plans?"

A grin formed along Anakin's face. "We divert their attention entirely. A planned attack on the base will force everyone to abandon post. We know that drug lords aren't necessarily concerned with saving their sales. They will most likely run."

Luke, leaning against the armrest of his chair, spoke up. "We're going to need a proper mandate from Corellia itself for the attack. Can you imagine what they would think if some group starts a medium-scale attack in the forests of their planet? We'll then be bombarded by Corellian security forces as well as resistance from the spice cartel."

Both Anakin and Obi-Wan smiled. Luke's maturity was coming into effect. It wouldn't be long before he took and passed the Jedi trials.

I shall contact the Jedi Temple and request that the Republic informs Corellia of our actions," Afe said. "Perhaps we can acquire some crafts to attack the base."

Obi-Wan stroked his beard in thought. "We want them to think that their lives are in danger, but we also want to keep the base intact. We just want a little time to investigate."

**Ollo** took a walk through the blue-tinted forest at dusk, as he did everyday. Herelished in the twigs and branches that graced his skin as he made his way through the dense underbrush. At length he came to a stump and took the chance to rest. He loved the dark forests of Corellia. That was his reason for moving from Coruscant. After years living on the planet-spanning city, he had grown tired of the constant acquaintance of duracreet. Soft, warm ground was his home of choice.

With a sigh, he smoothed down his dark brown tunic and gazed out at his home. The hidden base of his was almost completely enveloped by the dark trees, and under the blanket of night, it was entirely invisible.

He knew that his reign in the spice ring wouldn't last long, and that his time was drawing nigh, but a person with Ollo's resolve wouldn't give up for the life of him. He would fight for control until his dying day.

With one hand, he flipped out a small datapad, powered it on, and began to view ancient scriptures from a forgotten past. He knew each and every scripture by heart, and practiced their teachings constantly. They were the teachings of the Sith.

**Anakin** sat at a personal computer staring at satellite read outs from Corellia's orbit. Though the Jedi Order gave them plenty of information about the mission, the coordinates of this hidden base were not among them. It would be a treasure hunt. As he scrolled through countless pictures of the surface, he came upon one that caught his eye. It was in the middle of a dense forest at dawn. A glimmer rose from the trees, forcing him to inspect further. He zoomed until it was nothing more than a blur. He couldn't entirely make out what it was, but something felt different about it. He called to Obi-Wan and Afe who sat talking over a cup of tea in the lounge area.

"What is this, Anakin?" Afe asked, bending over and peering through her goggles.

"It's a satellite holophoto of Corellia's surface." He pointed. "And this caught my eye."

Obi-Wan looked deep at the photo. He agreed with Anakin. "Something's not right about it. Nothing would glimmer in the deep forest, especially a glimmer that big."

"It feels like the right one." Anakin said, and the topic was over. Everyone could sense a disturbance in the force emanating from the area.

"I'm going to record the coordinates into our nav computer," Afe trailed off, jogging from the room.

**Anakin** found his twin children in their rooms upside down resting their entire body weight on one hand. He watched them for some time as they went through their daily training routine. He smiled, thinking of how much they had grown. Suddenly he felt his feet leaving the ground. The children had him hanging by his feet in the air.

"Let me go, kids." He grunted, thrashing about in mid-air. He knew he could easily escape the grasp of his young children. They weren't that powerful, _yet._ It was then that the two children we knocked over onto the hard durasteel flooring.

"You forget to be aware of those around you, young apprentices," Obi-Wan stated dryly, leaning in the doorway. "That is _always_ where the attack comes from. The last place you expect."

The children groaned, having trouble righting themselves on the slick floor. Anakin pulled himself to his feet and grinned.

"Thanks, Master," Anakin said. "If you didn't save me, I'd be done for."

Obi-Wan smiled and rolled his eyes, leaving the room.


	5. Chapter 4

4

**Obi-wan **watched as the ship lurched out of hyperspace, the large blue planet of Corellia bursting into place in the viewport. It slowly and silently twirled. If Obi-Wan had not been privy to what his mission was, the planet's colors would have calmed him. Given the mission, it did the opposite. He always had a thin layer of cold sweat across his brow when he went on missions. After almost twenty years he had yet to defeat the nervousness. He took a long and deep sigh, comforting himself thatno matter what happened, it was the will of the force.

To his right, Anakin sat with a thin smile on his face. The same one that always appeared in situations like this. Obi-Wan, in years prior, had warned Anakin for wanting to be in such situations, but had slowly come to realize that it was simply in Anakin's nature. The man's life revolved around adventure.

"Afe has informed the Jedi Council, and we're waiting for Corellia's compliance," Obi-Wan stated as he leaned forward inspecting the control panel. "It shouldn't be long."

"Do you think that Luke and Leia are prepared for something like this?" Anakin asked, reading deeply into his former Master's eyes.

Obi-Wan leaned back and sighed. "I think we should leave the offensive strike up to them and Afe. Both Luke and Leia can hold their own against opposition."

"I know, Master. But something isn't right about this mission. There is a disturbance in the force."

Obi-Wan laid a warm hand onhis shoulder. "We will be within reach if anything grows out of hand. Afe will keep them well protected."

Anakin truly trusted his Master's advice. His worries about the mission had almost faded away, save for the disturbance in the force. That section still plagued him.

**Ollo** sat deep in meditation within his personal chambers. He noticed nothing around him, including the two guards that stood at the doorway. He floated between time and space, peering into countless doorways of long forgotten events. Suddenly, upon opening a door, he saw two Jedi coming for him. Their faces were vaguely familiar. Blurred and distorted, he didn't run from them, but gazed on in curiosity as the two blue blades of blue grew in size. He couldn't differentiate whether this vision was the future or past. As the two figures came closer, he realized who they were. It was Skywalker and Kenobi.

He shook the headache from his mind, and stood.

"Guards," He stated with an almost tangible amount of panic. "Ready my ship."

The two guards didn't ask questions. They knew that if they did, Ollo's reply would be a laser blast through their skulls. Fear was what kept the ring in order.

As the guards disappeared into the corridors, Ollo quickly made his way to the underground testing room to retrieve his toys. It was time to see if they worked.

**The** _Constantium_ landed at a dock on the outskirts of one of Corellia's cities. As the crew of Jedi made their way down the loading ramp, they came upon five roller-bikes. Anakin had never seen a craft such as this. Each bike was similar in shape to a swoop, but instead of being suspended entirely by repulsors, a single large wheel was placed at the rear, leaving only the front air foil to be lifted. It was obviously constructed for rough terrain.

A human male stood by the line of bikes, smiling. "Compliments of the Corellian Senators." He bowed low.

All five Jedi smiled, but Luke and Anakin's were far more wide.

As the other four were testing out the bike's, Obi-Wan took a moment to talk to the Corellian.

"I'd like to personally thank you for the supplies, Mister?"

The man quickly caught the question. "Morwe. You can call me Morwe. I am one of many representatives for our honorable Senators."

Obi-Wan cut quickly to the issue. "Morwe, I'd like to ask you a question."

"Certainly."

"Do you have any idea who the leader of this spice ring is?"

An expression of panic rolled across the man's face. It seemed that he was afraid to even mention the name of the leader. "Our investigations have come up with the name, 'Ollo', repeatedly."

He paused. "So as far as we know, that is the leader. But I must tell you that we haven't found much."

Obi-Wan smiled. "Don't worry, friend. We will soon resolve this matter."

The man once again bowed low. "I can only wish you luck, Master Jedi."

Obi-Wan requited his bow. "Thank you for your assistance."

Behind him, Anakin revved the engine and grinned. Everyone except Obi-Wan seemed to love the idea of the speeder bikes. With a final sigh, he straddled his designated bike, and powered on the repulsors.

Afe took one final look at the coordinates on her datapad, and fired her engines.

In a matter of seconds, all five speeder bikes shot out of the hangar into the stone paved Corellian streets.


	6. Chapter 5

5

**A** torrent of water sprayed into Obi-Wan Kenobi's face as the roller-bikes crossed a small stream. He could only groan and press harder on the accelerator. The five Jedi passed through the deep forests with ease, gliding over stumps and large obstructions that lay before them. After what seemed like hours of crossing rough terrain, they came to a stop along a small ravine that separated them from continuing. Obi-Wan crawled off his bike, letting the repulsors whine down with the others.

"Can the bikes cross that river?" Anakin asked, running his fingers along the crimson colored fuel tank of his speeder.

Obi-wan used his tunic to towel the vast amounts of water off his face. "I'm not sure. What do you think, Afe?"

She didn't get a chance to answer. The report of blaster fire rang through the forest, answering the question for him. It didn't surprise him that there would be forces along the border of the compound prepared for any attack.

The five leapt back onto their bikes, and hit the accelerator. The immense speed of the bikes was drowned in the water, leaving each bike slowly moving across the river.

"We're sitting ducks!" Anakin yelled.

A blaster bolt slammed into the side of Obi-Wan's fuel tank. It did not immediately penetrate, but was burning through the thick durasteel quickly. He knew he had only a mere second or two before the superheated particle beam ignited the fuel held within. With the aid of the force, he leapt up and over the other bikes onto Anakin's bike. Anakin felt it coming, and scooted up on his saddle, giving Obi-Wan room to land. Not a second after Obi-Wan landed on Anakin's bike, his other exploded in a wash of flames, quickly quelled by the rushing river.

In an instant, four glowing sabers hissed to life. Anakin kept his hands on the bike's controls, allowing Obi-Wan to play defense.

After some time being barraged by blaster fire, they came into contact with solid ground, and blasted onward through the forest away from their attackers. The five didn't stop to settle the fight with the attackers. They wanted them to warn the base.

**The **guards firing upon the five Jedi stopped their onslaught and called ahead warning the base of the oncoming attack.

**Anakin** watched as multiple craft lifted from the forest floor and jettisoned upward into the evening skies.

"The base is over there," He said, pointing to the origin of all the escaping craft. "Okay, we split up here. Keep their forces tracking you." With a final nod, Anakin and Obi-Wan split off from the group into the dark forest.

At length, Afe and the two Skywalker twins came to a clearing, instantly faced with an army of spice dealers aiming automatic weapons. With no physical acknowledgment, the three Jedi abandoned their speeder bikes, letting them barrel at the line of spice dealers like missiles. They landed in the soft grass, quickly rising to their feet, sabers singing wildly.

The three bikes cut through the army, knocking many down, and continuing into an electrical shed, exploding into a rain of smoldering shrapnel upon the firing army. The Skywalker twins and Nang-Da cut through the blaster fire easily sending superheated ozone back at them. In a matter of seconds the large army had dwindled to a frightened few. The more intelligent of the army took to their feet in escape, while the others were gunned down by their own reflected blaster fire.

**Anakin** and Obi-Wan abandoned the bike in the forest, and made their way to the opposite side of the base. It only took a few mind tricks and distractions on the guardsto find an access tunnel into the hidden headquarters. With a slash of his light saber, Anakin dropped down into the vent that was barely large enough to fit him. Obi-Wan searched around the compound with his observant eyes, and also disappeared within the tunnel.

**Ollo** sat calmly in his main office. Swiveling back and forth in his chair as if nothing were going on outside. He kept his mind tuned to the oncoming Jedi. On his wrists were the shield gloves that he had practiced with, and in his lap lay the shiny hilt of a light saber. He waited silently for the two to come barging into his office. _In time, _he thought. _They will find their own demise._

**With** another slash of his lightsaber, Anakin cut the hatch of the access tunnel and dropped free onto a well-buffed marble floor. Behind him Obi-Wan landed silently.

Anakin looked around, sensing something amiss. "Do you get the feeling that this isn't going to be a simple search and destroy operation, Master?"

Obi-Wan grinned. "When is it ever, Anakin?"

The two searched through countless rooms, finding nothing but huge stockpiles of spice. Everyone had escaped the building. One life form remained, Anakin distinguished. And it was indeed strong in the force.

"We must continue, Anakin." Obi-Wan insisted, taking lead of the operation.

**Ollo** sat silently as the doors to his office hissed open, revealing the two Jedi he had forseen. Indeed it was Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

His back was turned to the two, facing the transparisteel windows that gave him a beautiful view of the forests of Corellia.

"Good to see you two again," Ollo said, not moving from his position.

Anakin gripped his light saber hilt. "Show your face."

Ollo didn't move. "I welcome you two to my spice freighting facility. I do wish to inform you that I am not one to give up my position easily."

Obi-Wan grimaced. "You are under arr-."

"Arrest, yes I know." Ollo stated calmly. "I am quite learned in the customs of Republic laws and rights. I must also inform you that I will not fall victim to your petty orders." He cracked his knuckles. "You see, I don't conform to your society's laws or anything therin. Here on the beautiful world of Corellia, I have created my own Universe. My own utopia."

Anakin stepped forward, igniting his light saber. It sang forth with the hiss of an angered beast of ancient lore. "I will not tell you again. Show your face."

Ollo sighed. "Oh Anakin. Will you ever grow out of your wreckless advances?"

Suddenly Anakin paused. He knew that voice! It was one heard many years ago. A piercing timbre that burned into his memory.

The chair swiveled around confirming his suspicions. "There. Does that sate your anger any, my young friend?"


	7. Chapter 6

6

**Anakin** stared at his mirror image sitting at the desk. Ollo was an exact replica of Anakin in almost every way. From his long loose curled hair to hishaunting blue eyes. Ollo had no scar running along his face. The two stood for what seemed like an eternity simply gazing at one another.

Obi-Wan found himself to be double taking them over and over again.

"Remember me?" Ollo asked, standing from his leather chair.

Neither Anakin or Obi-Wan could bring themselves to speak. With a snap, Anakin's saber disappeared. He wasn't sure why he disengaged his last line of defense against the man, but he did. Finally after another eternity of staring at him, Anakin coughed.

"You're me...How is this possible?"

Ollo smiled, leaning with his palms placed on the desk. "Do you remember an event in our glorious Republic's history called the Clone Wars? If I remember correctly, you took part in that war, did you not?"

Anakin made a mocking smile at Ollo. "I think I remember something like that. Cut to the Chase."

Ollo glanced down and pointedat the brown glove that covered Anakin's right hand. "Do you remember the muscle tendons and flesh that were once there? Now it's nothing more than a compilation of nerve sensors electrodrivers and armor plating. But once there was true life in that hand." He paused, moving around the desk. "You remember when your flesh was so painfully taken away by Dooku?"

Anakin nodded. It was coming to him.

"Well, you see, your flesh wasn't lost amid dust and old memories in that hangar bay on Geonosis. Lord Sidious' forces recovered your lifeless hand. Though it was far from alive, with a little work from scientists on the Separatist's payroll, Lord Sidious brought forth life from the disgusting remains of your hand. That, in essence," He pointed to his chest. "Is me."

Obi-Wan grimaced. He was sick of standing there like a fool. "How did you survive? Sidious was defeated years ago."

"My old friend-."

"I'm not your friend," Obi-Wan retorted angrily. "You are not Anakin Skywalker."

Ollo sighed, fiddling with the light saber that hung elegantly at his belt. "In a way I'm not, and in a way, completely irreversibly, I might add, I am."

"It's most definitely reversible," Obi-Wan stated with clenched teeth. He ignited his light saber.

"No," Anakin said. "Wait."

Ollo sighed once again.

Anakin pointed at Ollo. "How _did_ you survive? You owe me at least that"

It was then that Ollo smiled a sickening smile. One that made both Jedi's stomachs turn. "Do you remember when Sidious attacked the temple?"

The two nodded.

"Do you remember him mentioning a planet by the name of Malastare? I believe he called it a trap, if I remember correctly."

"You were the trap."

Ollo nodded. "And after my Lord fell at your unworthy hands, I was left without a Master."

Anakin's eyebrows dropped. "What about the Sith code?"

"Code?" Ollo asked innocently. "Oh, I think you are referring to the code of only two Siths at a time. Well, you see. Darth Annhil was, in most aspects, a decoy."

"A decoy?" Anakin questioned.

Ollo's expression made Anakin feel like an idiot. "Yes, a decoy. You didn't realize how easy he was to defeat? He wasn't fully trained in the ways of the Sith!Or are you not as powerful as my late Master perceived?"

Anakin's face dropped back into an angry stare. It appeared that whatever hot buttons Anakin had, Ollo was tapping on them like a drum. "Alright, Sith scum, shut your mouth. It's time to end this."

Ollo grinned evily. "You're right. It _is_ time for this to end. But, as we're parrying blades I want you to ponder this. If you die, I will take your place at the helm of the Jedi Council, infecting it from within." He stopped, his face falling even deeper into the grin. "Hell, I might even spend some time with your wife. She'd never know it wasn't you."

The last comment sent Anakin over the edge. A blue-white blade other than Kenobi's came down over Ollo's brow, and effortlessly it was stopped. Ollo still leaned on the edge of his desk, holding his crimson blade against Anakin's.

With a simple manipulation of the force, Ollo knocked back both Jedi and took to his feet, parrying one final shot from Anakin's blade as he disappeared through the doorway.

**Afe** stood upon the smoking corpse of a landspeeder, it's former pilot lay bleeding to death in the drivers seat. She knelt over the dying man, feeling his presence in the force waiver. She had to get any information she could from him before he moved along to his ancestors.

"Who's in charge here?" She asked, pressing her hand against the hole in the man's throat, stopping the gushing torrent of blood.

"Am I...going to die?" He asked, his gangster facade fading away. Fear was evidently flowing into the wound as the blood fled from it.

Afe could only nod grimly. "Now do me a final favor and you will be forgiven for your crimes. I will consider you a hero of the Republic if you give me the leaders name."

Tears flowed from his face. A wave of pity hit Afe through the force, and she could feel her own eyes swelling beneath her goggles. "Ollo," He gasped, shaking violently.

As she felt his final moments drawing to a close, she took a deep gasp of air, closed her eyes, and removed her mask. She gave the dying man a final caress and a kiss on the brow.

"You've done well. I consider you a hero. Go to your ancestors with honor."

She replaced the respirator to her face and climbed off the smoldering speeder. The man seized, dying before he could finish the words: "Thank you."

After a moment of regaining her composure, she turned to see the Skywalker twins staring at the lifeless body. They had been witness to it all. A look of horror was smeared across their faces.

"The force is a wide, never ending circle of life," She said, bowing her head. "Though his life force has extinguished, you can rest assured the birth of another will soon replace him in his absence."

It was the first time the two had actually witnessed a being in the throes of death. They had, of course, seen and killed many, but never witnessed the final moments of a life. Prior, all the deaths were either quick or at a distance. For the rest of his life, Luke realized the vision of the poor man would stay with him.

**Anakin** and Obi-Wan rounded a corner, following Ollo's force presence. They scrambled down a corridor that opened into the main hangar bay of the hidden base. The sight of it brough back horrifying memories of Obi-Wan's past. The hangar looked sinisterly like Naboo's royal palace hangars where he confronted Darth Maul. With a choked back shudder, he continued at Anakin's side into the hangar.

Ollo stood directly in front of them, showing now signs of trying to escape. He waited silently with his crimson saber humming in the cascade of false lighting. Behind him sat the whining preliminary engines of his Sith interceptor, waiting for it's master to escape in. As the two Jedi galloped down the final ramp into the hangar, Ollo tapped the buttons on his gloves, igniting the light shields on his wrists. It was time to see how efficient they were.

"Your life ends here, Sith." Anakin shouted at his clone.

Ollo smiled indignantly. "I think not." He paused. "Actually I'd like to take the time to correct you. I'm not a Sith Lord. Not yet. It shan't be long before I find the final scriptures I need to complete my training."

Obi-Wan decided it was his turn to play the arrogant bastard card. "Well, whatever you are. I hope you'll understand that our mandates require us to stop you. If you're going to find those final scriptures, I suggest you do it rather quick. In fact," He said mockingly. "You have about a minute before you're dead."

Anakin grinned, basking in the fact that his former Master could easily battle in wits as well in swords. He patted him on the shoulder.

Obi-Wan didn't look at him, but whispered: "You're rubbing off on me Anakin."

Ollo began to walk toward the two, red blades screaming. He twirled his saber and sped up.

The first attack was easily blocked by Anakin, who spun Ollo's blade around, bringing himself on the opposing side of the Dark Jedi. Ollo was now sandwiched between the two. It didn't really matter to him.

Obi-Wan's saber came crashing down upon Ollo, but was blocked easily. Ollo began using a tactic never seen by any Sith or Dark Jedi. He was using the two Jedi against each other physically. With a simple flick of his wrist, he directed Obi-Wan's blade to connect with Anakin's incoming attack. The two blue blades slammed into each other while Ollo slipped out from between them.

Anakin looked at his former master with disbelief as Ollo backed away with another grin on his face.

"I hate that grin already!" Anakin grunted, disengaging himself from Obi-Wan's saber.

Obi-Wan spun his saber in his hand, bringing it back to defensive position. "I've had to live with that grin for the last twenty years!"

Ollo returned to the offensive, bringing his crimson blade across in an attempt to cut Obi-Wan's legs from him. Obi-Wan easily parried it, and backed away. The Dark Jedi allowed him to do so, but not without a high dose of resistance. Five rapid-fire attacks came at Obi-Wan's frame. As he fought to deflect the attacks, he couldn't shake the sickening thought of fighting his own apprentice. In almost every way Ollo mirrored Anakin. As the final strike came at him, Obi-Wan shook it from his mind. He vaulted Ollo's blade away from him, but the Dark Jedi didn't lose grip on his saber.

Stumbling backward with his burgundy blade to the side, Anakin leapt back into the battle, hoping to catch his duplicate off guard. As his blue saber approached Ollo's mid-section, the right wrist of the Dark Jedi flexed down, blocking it from splitting him into. _They are handy_, Ollo thought.

Ollo led them into a corridor filled with multiple boxes, barely leaving room to walk in. He planned it out, luring the two Jedi into the corridor. As the two blue blades passed the boxes, Ollo came charging at them down the hallway. Anakin and Obi-Wan didn't budge, hoping to trap the twin. As the two Jedi braced for impact, trying to sever Ollo's chance of escape, Ollo did not attack, but leapt high into the air, somersaulting over the metal crates. As he flipped overhead, they struck out at him with their light sabers, but only caught the tail of his tunic.

Ollo landed on the ground and never looked back. As he charged for his waiting ship, he reached through the force and sent each of the boxes flying at the Jedi. It was now Anakin and Obi-Wan who were trapped in the corridor amidst a heap of metal crates.

As Ollo stepped upon the first inch of the loading ramp of his Sith interceptor, he stopped and turned around.

"We'll have to continue this at another time, my friends. Master Kenobi, I'd like to personally inform you that you two have five minutes before this entire base explodes."

With another flick of his wrist, the base's self-destruct sequence initiated, echoing upon each data center outlet along the hangar's walls.

"I'll catch you guys later!" Ollo shouted, disappearing up the ramp.

Obi-Wan immediately called through the force to Afe to get herself and the Skywalker twins as far way from the base as possible. If he and Anakin were to die, he thought, there would be no sense in having the others die also.

The timer dropped to four minutes and thirty seconds. They needed to come up with something and quick.

Anakin's light saber blazed through the boxes, but could not penetrate through all of them.

"Follow my lead," Obi-Wan said. He reached through the force, channeling its power into a wall. Anakin could easily feel him doing this, and quickly did likewise.

The hangar's hatch, made of thick duracreet began to open like the top of a cardboard box. Ollo's fighter blazed by the two doors as they opened wide enough to let him pass. The doors began to slowly close behind the escaping craft.

With a final grunt, the two built up enough channeled power to throw the heavy metal boxes into the air. They took to their feet, running back into the hangar before the metal crates could fall back to the ground.

Along the walls the data computers announced "twenty seconds."

Obi-Wan groaned. "I hate narrow escapes."

The hangar doors were growing ever closer to shutting. Anakin frantically looked around for a possible method of escape. In the corner under a heap of random machinery lay a swoop bike. It seemed outdated and tarnished. _That might do the trick, _Anakin thought.

He said nothing, nudging Obi-Wan via the force, and ran to the bike. With a panicked look on his face, he threw the random metal parts off the bike, stood it up, and straddled it. Obi-Wan was instantly behind him on the bike.

"You have a way with machines, Anakin. Do something."

"Let's hope this works." Anakin said, reaching deep within the machine's pistons repulsors and circuitry with the his mind. As if raising the dead, the engine growled to life.

5

They shot off like a bullet for the closing hangar doors. It only lacked ten feet between each duracreet wall.

4

Obi-Wan grasped Anakin's waist tightly, looking down at the blurred marble floor. He didn't want to know what was going to happen next.

3

"May the force be with us!" Obi-Wan shouted at Anakin through the furious wind.

2

Anakin let out a scream of fear and excitement. One that Obi-Wan knew well.

1

The swoop carrying the two Jedi burst from the hangar as the door's teeth came to a shuddering close. Behind them through the deafening rush of wind they heard the enormous explosion of the spice facility. Tongues of flames burst from the cracks in the hangar doors, reaching out at the two. The swoop was too fast, though, and it soared through the crisp early night air, diving into the thick undebrush of the forest. After blazing through countless meters of deep forest, they skidded to a halt.

Obi-Wan watched as a monstrous mushroom cloud grew over the facility. Pieces of debris were being thrown into the forest around them, crashing into the green landscape. Duracreet walls collapsed upon each other in a catastrophic cacophony. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan could feel blast after blast of heat waves rolling through the thick woods.

"It's not so hidden anymore," Obi-Wan said with a smile. Suddenly he smelled something. The odor of burning fabric filled his nostrils. He quickly found the origin of the stench.

"Blast! My shirt's on fire!" He yelped, slapping the glowing fabric around his shirt tail.


	8. Part II

**_PART II_**

_**Infiltrate, destroy, rebuild.**_

**Ollo** sat within the meditation chambers of his Sith infiltrator as it barreled through hyperspace away from Corellia. He was deep in concentration, pushing his pain away. Using the force, he deadened his nerve endings. When they were properly suppressed, he took a razor sharp knife and ran it slowly down the side of his face. The skin split instantly, pouring crimson blood from the wound. It was all part of his job description. _Infiltrate, destroy, rebuild._ That was his creed. One that he had adopted from his creator, Master Sidious. If he were to look the part of Anakin Skywalker, he had to carve a scar over his face. Ollo was never much of a vain person, so the scar wouldn't bother him.

He padded off the blood with a small towel, compressing it until theit clotted. Hopefully it would be deep enough to scar. All he needed was time to properly heal.

**Anakin** hugged his two children tightly, aware of how close the cold hand of death had come to touching him. He stood there for some time, embracing the two children. Obi-Wan took the moment to exchange information on the attack with Afe.

She stood with a dumbfounded look on her face. Slowly she took a deep look at Anakin's face. "You say there is a clone of Anakin somewhere in the Galaxy now?"

Obi-Wan could only nod.

"This is anything but good," She said quietly. "It's one thing to have a Sith Lord lurking somewhere, but to have one that could pass within our ranks without suspicion. We need to inform the Council immediately."

Obi-Wan collected the only remaining roller bike and set it next to the swoop they had used to escape from the facility. As he checked the bike's statistics, he spoke. "This has now evolved from a simple illegal spice ring to a full-blown uprising of the Sith. Sidious' move to attack the temple wasn't as dumb as we first conceived."

After spending an ample amount of time recounting their side of the battle, they saddled up on the two speeder bikes. With a hoarse whine of the engines due to the extreme weight, they moved deeper into the forest. Night had fully fallen on the planet, making the trip even more difficult. For a Jedi, it was but another day in the life.

The five Jedi rolled into the streets at dawn, covering their eyes from the bright orange light that flooded the city. The roller bike that Leia rode on shook and juked upon the cobblestone streets, but she didn't mind. It had almost a lulling sensation. They were all tired and worn from their journey. After some time, they passed through the market sector of the city, traversing through countless fruit and vendor stands.

As they passed a particular vendor, Leia caught a glimpse of a teenage boy shoplifting fruit from an old lady. He wore a travel-stained tunic with a black vest. To anyone he would have seemed handsome, but his face gave her cold chills. It was as if she had known him before. As he slid the last piece of fruit into one of his many pockets, his eyes met hers. A smile formed on his face, and he put a finger to his lips as if to say "Don't tell a soul." She narrowed her eyes at his thievery. The smile on his face didn't disappear. It was as if he didn't really care who saw him. He kept his eyes locked on her as they passed slowly by. Before she lost sight of him, he winked at her._ Ugh!_ She thought.

When the Jedi felt they could ride no longer, they finally came to a stop within the hangar where the _Constantanium_ sat. Steam rose from underneath it's well-shined hull. Obi-Wan sighed. Though the recent events were plaguing him, the sight of a comfortable place to rest warmed his heart.

"As soon as we reach hyperspace," Afe said, taking notice of Obi-Wan's singed tunic. "We'll contact the Council." She could barely stifle a giggle as the burnt end of the Jedi sauntered up the loading ramp. She turned to Anakin who was rubbing mud from the swoop. "I suppose you two had quite a time in that base."

Anakin instantly picked up on what she was trying to say. He watched the fried fabric on Obi-Wan's tunic disappear within the _Constanium_. "I think he had a little too much fun."

They both giggled their way up into the ship.

_(Obiviously not one of my best, but it will do. I apologize for the lack of posting. I've been a bit busy at home. But as soon as possible I will jump back in with chapter seven. I think everyone is going to like how this story plays out. Ollo is one crazy guy. Thank you for your reviews, and please continue tossing your ideas and comments my way)._


	9. Chapter 7

7

**The **Jedi sat within the darkened main hall of the _Constantium_ staring wearily at the flickering Image of Mace Windu and Yoda. The grey glow of the holoprojections glittered silently across their faces.

"A clone, you say?" Windu whispered over the length of thousands of light-years as if someone could hear him." He frowned, glancing over at Yoda who also bore the same expression. "You must realize that we will now have to scrutinize your every move, Anakin. Please take no offense."

"None taken, Master."

"Huge lengths the Sith will go to accomplish their goals," Yoda said, leaning heavily upon his gimer stick.

Obi-Wan clearly noticed the deep stress lines across the Whills face. Age had begun it's torrent on the wise Jedi Master, delvingtime-worn roots into the skin of the being from Grentarik.

"I want you to find a place to hide for the moment. If this Sith clone finds that you all have returned to Coruscant, we will have to prepare for a possible direct attack. With such a revelation, we must be ready for the worst possible outcome. Where is the nearest star system?" Windu asked.

"Considering we're not taking the trade route back to Coruscant," Obi-Wan stated, glancing at the universal holomap he had at his fingertips. "We're closest to the Balmorran System."

Yoda, through the holoprojection set his wrinkled green head upon his gimer stick. "Sufficient, it will be."

"You will wait there until we give further orders."

Without a single acknowledgment of goodbyes, the projection winked out, leaving the five Jedi sitting alone in the darkened room.

Anakin clenched his fists repeatedly, partially to warm them up in the cold vacuum of space, and partially to quell his rage. He hated nothing more than being told to wait when he wanted to take the offensive. As it stood, hiding was never an option in his bank of potential moves. With a large huff, he stood and made his way into the cockpit to redirect the ship to Balmorra.

Obi-Wan leaned against the padded chair and stroked his chin. To his right Afe took a deep breath and removed her air purifying mask to clean her face. As she did so, Obi-Wan was once again taken aback by her beauty. He never had such thoughts when looking at the metallic machine that clung to her face, but when it was removed, his breath grew shallow.

She didn't seem to outwardly notice Obi-Wan's nervous moves as she ran a damp cloth over he face. After a few moments, Obi-Wan took his leave of the situation. As Afe watched his burnt rear disappear through the ship's doorway, she smiled. It was written all over his mental and physical emotions.

_How could such an astute_ member of the Jedi Council have such little control over his emotions, Afe thought.

**Ollo** ran his finger over the scar on his face after administering the final bacta treatment. It was perfect. There was nothing that separated him from Anakin now. If the Jedi were going to take his Spice trade away from him, He would most definitely retaliate. The time had come for him to fall into the unknown. His wanderings would be seen by the Jedi Council, so he had to use that to his advantage. He would have to do something that would turn everyone against the hero of the force. Ollo surmised that the Council most likely was aware of his existence, and they would be able to tell the difference. His task was not to permeate the Jedi Order, but to bring a sense of shame among them. They would support their "chosen one," but would the Republic? Why should the Republic take the Jedi's word over detailed accounts of a Jedi's attacks on innocent people?. His mission was now to use Anakin's infallible character and Spread accounts of murders and assassinations across the Galaxy. People would soon turn their back on the accused Jedi. But before Ollo would go about his mission, he had something to do. With a few switches of the coordinates, he set course for Coruscant.

**The **green-brown Planet of Balmorra lurched out at the _Constantium_ as they emerged from hyperspace.

Balmorra, for the most part, was a damp world, filled with countless streams that permeated the towns and mountain ranges. Under most circumstances the population used gondolas to travel between villages and cities. The five Jedi quickly found an area within a canyon on the ship's map.

"There," Obi-Wan pointed, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "It seems to be a small settlement. The smallest on the planet, actually."

Afe took her seat in the rear of the cockpit. "Perhaps with a little luck, we'll be able to pass as commoners."

Obi-Wan looked back at her. "In my line of work, I have come to believe that there is no such thing as luck."

She smiled at his flirting attempts. "Let me rephrase. Perhaps with the will of the force..."

The _Constantium_ fell through the atmosphere like a rock, speeding downward as fast as possible to keep under the radar.

"Anakin, pull up," Obi-Wan stated as calmly as possible, watching a huge rock formation speeding toward them through the viewport. "Pull up, Anakin!"

Anakin grinned, rolling the ship onto its side, missing the canyon's edge by mere meters. Suddenly they were met with fleeting glimpses of wildlife in the forests on upper edges of the canyon. At the center, running parallel through the canyon was a raging river, filled with whitecaps and abundant marine life.

"This is truly a beautiful place," Afe remarked. "The kind of place that makes you want toraise children."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows dropped into a frown. He didn't look back at her, but kept his eyes locked on the river below._ A child?_

Afe gauged his expression in the force. Though she couldn't see his face, there was a definite flux in his emotions. She smiled.

After a day or so, with appropriate dealings, they purchased a medium sized hovel within the town. As they took their place among Balmorra's population, they took it upon themselves to construct various aliases to conceal their location from any evil eyes.

Anakin took on the name Ansan Cleevon, a variation of his actual first name and complete middle name. Obi-Wan took Ben Cleevon, brother of Ansan. The two children kept their first names and replaced the last with, once again, Cleevon. After much dispute between the Afe and Obi-Wan, Afe took the name Fe'na Cleevon, Ben's loving wife. Obi-Wan acted as if he didn't much care for Afe becoming his wife under the alias, but Afe recognized something quite different from him via the force. His act was not holding up in her mind. In truth, Obi-Wan Kenobi had something of a crush on the Jedi.

_(I apologize for the last paragraph. It's a bit crappy. I was tired when I did this, so you'll have to excuse my retarded ramblings. Anyway, please review)!_


	10. Chapter 8

8

**Anakin** powered on the holoprojector within the confines of his room on Balmorra. The others were outside, going about their daily sparring practice. He watched as the signal relayed across the galaxy, directing itself toward Coruscant. After a few moments of silence, the image of Padme's apartment exploded into reality. He instantly saw the gleaming cranium of C-3P0 peering at him.

"Why Master Anakin! How good it is to see you again!" The droid called, tapping the holo cam's lense with his golden finger.

Anakin nodded to the droid. "Where's Padme, Threepio?"

The droid scoffed. If rudeness could be conveyed by a droid's actions, this was a prime example. "Let me go find her, Master."

Before the droid could turn around, in the background, Padme ran to her front door. It hissed open, revealing a sight that chilled Anakin's heart. It was him. The mirror image of Anakin Skywalker embraced Padme, and kissed her deeply. After a moment of hellos, Padme padded off out of the camera range.

Ollo used the chance to walk toward the confused C-3P0, and with a quick flip of a button, he shut the golden droid down completely. He then made his way quickly to the holoprojector, and with an evil smile and a wink, shut it off.

Anakin stared in disbelief. His clone had entered his home! Padme never knew that he wasn't her true husband. His veins ran cold, and his heart beat out of step. Finally the screams that had not been able to come from his mouth did. They escaped in a roar of anger and pain. Anakin's fist slammed against the holoprojector, crushing it's metallic frame into smoking debris.

Obi-Wan stood on the back lawn that was guarded by a high fence, giving Luke and Leia advice on how to properly defend against Afe's attacks. He heard the screams resonate from the hovel, and turned to see what the problem was. The force quickly informed him of Anakin's anger, but before he could traverse across the lawn to the doorway, Anakin kicked open the door, cleanly knocking it off it's hinges.

"We have to go to Coruscant. Now!" Anakin yelled, buckling his utility belt with shaky hands.

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked, quickly bracing the young man's shoulder with his hand.

Anakin quickly recounted the story to everyone, jogging back and forth through the house, gathering up supplies.

"Anakin, we can't go back to Coruscant. The Council has plainly instructed us–."

"I am going. You all can stay here if you'd like, but I am not going to sit here while my clone invades everything that I love! I'll return shortly."

Both Afe and Obi-Wan stepped in front of his path.

"No," Obi-Wan stated firmly. "You are not going. We will contact the Council immediately, but you cannot go back."

A fire burned in Anakin's eyes as he stared down his former Master.

"Are you going to stop me Master?" He said with clenched teeth. He spoke threateningly.

Obi-Wan had seen this many times before in Anakin's behavior, and had decided that it was always best to stand his ground.

"Yes I will, Anakin." He crossed his arms.

Anakin's eyes darted angrily between Afe and Obi-Wan. After a few moments of pure silence, with his two children staring at him dumbly in the distance, Anakin's feelings got the better of him. It started with a single tear, followed by the contraction of every muscle in his face.

He backed against the wall, sobbing.

"I can't let him do this!"

"Yes you can, Anakin." Afe, said, grasping his face with her hands. "And you will. But we can assure you that his wrongs will not go unpunished."

"Afe," Obi-Wan said with his arms still crossed. "Fix the holoprojector if possible, and inform the Council." He kneeled down to the shaking man. "I'll deal with him."

**From** inside Padme's apartment, everything sat in stone silence. It was interrupted by the hiss of a single light saber blade. The front door opened, revealing not a tall proud Jedi, but a crouched green Whill grasping his green saber.

Yoda slowly crept through the silent apartment, keeping his guard up. He passed through the foyer into the main bedroom, searching around for any physical or mental disturbances. After some time, he switched off his green blade and frowned. The clone had escaped.

He sensed that Padme had not been kidnapped, but was busy elsewhere with her political engagements. With a sigh, pulled his gimer stick from his belt and made his way out of the apartment. It was important that he notified Amidala quickly.

**Anakin** watched the holonet news on Coruscant report several mysterious murders around the Planet. It seemed that a Jedi had committed each of them. Each homicide had a throng of witnesses, all of which reported seeing the well-known Anakin Skywalker at the scene of the crime. He once again stared in disbelief as his own life was being brought down around his feet by an impostor.

The holonet buzzed with breaking news reports about Anakin Skywalker possibly being the murderer. The Universe that so loved him was slowly but surely turning their back. He watched as the Jedi Council proclaimed that it was most definitely not Skywalker, for he was on official Jedi business, but rather a Sith clone.

"At least they believe the Jedi Council," Obi-Wan stated, watching the screen intently.

"For now, but if these murders keep happening, no one will be able to save me. The force itself can't save me anymore." Anakin dropped his head into his hands.

**Ollo** stood in the center of the transport station on Coruscant, watching as a group of political officials stepped off a skiff. Without missing a beat, he moved to them in broad daylight, igniting his light saber. In a blink of an eye, with thousands of witnesses, he cut each of them down. Only one escaped and began running toward the nearest exit. Ollo could have killed him easily had it been necessary, but for now it served as another eye-witness to Anakin's murders.

"Tell everyone that Anakin Skywalker gave you mercy!" He shouted to the panicking crowd as he boarded a small speeder, and disappeared into the clouds.

The Planet of Coruscant was now too aware of his actions. With the death of the political figures, the Council would become involved. It was time to spread his murders throughout the galaxy.

**Padme** watched as countless members of the Senate surrounded her podium maliciously.

Mas Amedda, the former Senate chair took a stand. "We have called you here, Supreme Chancellor, to ask questions pertaining to the rogue Jedi known as Anakin Skywalker."

She stood like a stone, not giving Amedda the time of day.

"As the record shows, you are his wife in legal marriage, no?"

"I am," She replied with as much anger as she could muster.

"Then do you have any information as to his whereabouts?"

"I do not."

Mas Amedda scoffed, bracing his arms on the floating podium in front of Amidala.

"So you, our Supreme Chancellor, are telling us that you do not know the whereabouts of your own husband?"

That was the final straw. She leaned in just as close, narrowing her eyes, compressing them into bullets that could have killed. "You know that all Jedi information is classified, Amedda. I have been informed and given official reports by the Council that this murderer is _not_ my husband!"

She keyed the datapad before her, sending out the report to the thousands of podiums in the Senate hall.

Mas Amedda didn't even look at it. "Why should we believe the Jedi in times like these?" Thunderous applause rose throughout the Senate ranks. "When a Jedi himself is being accused of murdering ten political officials!"

"The Jedi have always been protectors of the innocent, Amedda, and I take enormous offense at your lack of faith!"

"Let me rephrase, Supreme Chancellor. Why should we believe _you?_"

Tears began to form in Padme's eyes. "Because I am your leader!"

Once again Amedda scoffed. "Palpatine was our leader as well. We all know how trust worthy he was in the end. The fact remains, Chancellor, that you cannot be trusted."

Padme lost it. All sense of royalty and beauty was lost. She lifted her thin gown and climbed to the top of her podium. "This is a malicious attack against me! It is unjust and an obvious retaliation for my vote to remove you years ago! Take it back."

Amedda smiled thinly. "Or what?"

In her mind, she was screaming: _I'll kill you, you son of a bitch, that's what!_

After a moment, she calmed herself, and stepped down from the top of the podium.

"I ask each and every one of you personally, not as Senators, but as friends to trust me. Give the Jedi Council time to fix this problem. Read over the official report on your datapads. I assure you that the murderer is not my husband. If it turns out otherwise I will not only give up my seat as the Supreme Chancellor..." She paused, wiping a tear from her face. "I will give you my very life."

Amedda smiled once again. "That is exactly what we will take if we find anything further pointing the crimes to your husband. We will hold you personally responsible for every life lost, Amidala."

Padme leaned forward, squeezing the podium till her knuckles went white. "It's Supreme Chancellor Amidala, and don't you ever, ever forget that."

_( I'm not sure if this chapter is confusing or not to others, considering that I understand completely what is going on. If anyone has trouble discerning what just happened, please inform me, and comment on how I can clarify anything. The events jump a little bit, timewise, but I hope that you can follow. If it's not as complicated as I think, I believe this is a really good chapter. I'll leave it up to you, though)._


	11. Chapter 9

9

**Anakin** peered at the holoprojection of his beloved Padme. Her face was growing worn and old, with lines running down the sides of her lips. She looked sad. In truth, she had every reason to feel so given the situation.

"Annie, nothing happened," She told him through tears. "But I thought he was you the entire time."

For the first time in what seemed like ages, Anakin smiled. His career was crashing down around him, his future quite possibly could be at the business end of an execution chamber, but the sense of knowing that his beloved was safe in most respects warmed his soul.

Though the two were lightyears apart from each other, their minds rested upon each other. In the solace of their respective homes,they stared deeply into each others eyes, watching the glittering rays of light dance in circles about their iris'.

"Everything is going to be fine, my love." Anakin said, bringing his hand up, caressing the image of her face. "Luke and Leia are both safe here on Balmorra."

"I hope this ends soon, Anakin. I don't know how much longer I can stand this political onslaught without you."

Anakin smiled slightly. "Padme, I want you to remember this. No matter what happens, I will be with you. In fact, I am standing there with you right now. If this takes a turn for the worse, I will still be at your side. When you are interrogated by the other members of the Senate, keep this thought in your mind. I am with you. The force is with you. Sidious' plague on the galaxy will soon be at an end."

It was then that the screen began to waver. The battery was giving out.

"I love you, baby," Anakin whispered, wiping a tear from his eye.

"And I love you," She replied as the holoprojector shut down completely.

Once again Anakin was left in a prison of despair. He was miles from home, tired, and angry. He wanted nothing more than to storm the planet and find his beloved. Actually, that wasn't true. He wanted Ollo's head more.

**Anakin** screamed into consciousness. A terrible dream had ripped him from sleep. He sat there in his bed for a few seconds, and slowly realized that it wasn't a dream. The voice that had echoed through his mind was still blaring through him. The very timbre made his stomach turn.

A ghostly voice repeated. "I am not just a part of you anymore." Over and over.

Under normal circumstances, Anakin would have dealt with his nightmares in solemn silence, letting them rot and decompose within his soul. But not now. He knew who plagued him, and he knew the face behind the voice. It was time to take a stand. A time to cast down the restraints of the dogmatic Jedi Code, and take a stand against his enemy. The temptations of the Darkside had faded away behind the misty veil of justice. Now was the time to act.

"We have unfinished business, Ollo," Anakin hissed through the force, knowing that it, in some way, would reach his clone. "The time of you defacing my name is going to come to a screeching close, my friend." He could feel Ollo trying to speak, but he didn't allow the clone to say a single word. "I am coming after you, Ollo. You cannot escape my wrath."

"What about your Jedi Code?" Ollo jutted in evily.

"As of right now, they mean nothing to me. I am going to track you down, and by the end, you will beg for the cold clutches of death."

The two lost connection with each other, as if Ollo had hung up on Anakin during a phone call. Anakin sighed, and rubbed his head. If one good thing came out of his nightmare, it was the fact that Anakin had found where Ollo was. He could now feel Ollo's presence, and it was coming from Dantooine's orbit. Apparently Ollo was planning to broaden his list of murders. That, Anakin vowed, would not come to be.

Anakin stood over Obi-Wan and Afe as they lay in their bed sleeping. He loomed over them in silence, and contacted them through the force. Instantly, they snapped into consciousness.

"What is it, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked through sleep caked eyes.

"Everyone, pack your bags. We're going to the Dantooine system _now_."

Obi-Wan sighed. "No, Anakin. I'm not going to tell you again that we can't leave Balmorra."

A smile formed on Anakin's face. "You won't have to. Because we're _going_. Now pack your bags, Master."

"Anakin," Afe complained.

He ignored their groaning, and headed into the other rooms to wake his children.

**Ollo** opened his eyes, and rose from his meditative position. An expression of fear, for the first time, washed across his face. Anakin was indeed coming. He could feel the Jedi's anger rising, but for some reason, there were no traces of darkness within him. Could it be that the young man had found a way to secure the power of anger without losing the purity of the light? Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

He stood and stared at the green planet throughout the window. Dantooine loomed before him, spinning silently in the vacuum of space. In the past days, Ollo had come upon an abandoned skyhook space station orbiting the planet, and had transformed it into his den of evil. It was headquarters for the final bout. If the chosen one was coming after him, he had better get prepared.

Ollo didn't know how long it would be before his twin arrived to slay him, but he decided to use it to his advantage.

_(I don't necessarily like this chapter, but I've had a bit of trouble coming up with a way for Anakin to find Ollo. You wouldn't believe how many scenarios I wrote out, and then changed them due to lack of faith in the plot. I really hope this suits the story. As you can tell, I really don't have much self-esteem when it comes to my work, but I'll leave the judgements up to you guys. On another note, I witnessed the miracle of film making that is Episode 3 last night, and I encourage everyone to go see it. Make sure you look for Grand Moff Tarkin at the end! Anyway, please review and give me ideas on how to play this out to your liking)._


	12. Chapter 10

10

**Ollo** closed his datapad, letting the final teachings of the Sith sink into his mind. He took a long look out the row of transparisteel windows, watching Dantooine silently spin. It was then that he wished he could simply retreat back to Corellia and forget about the entire Sith Order. Though he had years of Sith instruction running through his veins, along with the same wavering soul of Anakin Skywalker, He could not deny the strong sense of regret for his actions. The path of the Dark Side had lead him into a corner against an army of Jedi. For the first time, he feared Anakin. In his actions, he had not only destroyed one life, but two. Anakin was now an enemy of the Republic. As these thoughts scrambled through his mind, he began to hate everything. He hated the Dark Side, he hated Sidious, he hated the Jedi Order, and most of all, he hated himself. In the dim light of the meditation chambers of the Skyhook space station above Dantooine, Ollo wallowed in the poisonous substance of hate, and indeed, it overtook him.

Where he stood now, there was absolutely no turning back. In every possible outcome, no sense of redemption waited for him. His crimes had pushed him to the point where apologies no longer mattered. There were two options left for him. Death, which seemed the most likely outcome. Or victory, and the thought of that now made him sick. In every sense, he had cast down the shadows of the Sith, but instead of returning to a sense of light, he only fell further into shadow. It was time for a new sect of the Sith Order. The old Sith were no longer efficient. If he wanted to survive, he would have to adapt. It was then that he openly welcomed every ounce of dark energy into his soul. Ollo would use his hate and jealousy against Anakin. His fear, lust and malice would be the spearhead against the Jedi. At the end of all things, he would devour the entire Universe if necessary.

**Anakin** guided the ship into hyperspace, watching the white and blue pin pricks shift into beams of light passing by the viewport. He took comfort in simplicity. The smallest things were starting to mean more to him than anything else. The twinkle of the stars, the gleam in his children's eyes, the smile on his wife's face as she broke his kiss. He knew that this could be the very end of him, and in his last hours, the Universe flowed through him. Aesthetic images passed through his mind, giving him a feeling of euphoria. He realized that these feelings were nothing more than a concealment for his fear, but nevertheless, he relished in them.

In a few hours, he would meet the greatest challenge he ever came or would come across. This test would force him to use the force to his best ability, and any mistake would certainly mean death. His twin waited for him in silent shadow. Ollo and the Sith had preyed upon his fear since he was a teenager, but their reign had come to an end. He no longer feared for himself, only for those he loved. Now he knew that even in the event of his death, the Universe would continue to live. With a final sigh, he let go of all emotion, and channeled the force through him, letting it course through his veins, in and around every muscle and cell in his body. He was now nothing more or nothing less than a pure extension of the force. In that fact, he was satisfied.

"What are our plans, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, dragging Anakin from his revery.

Anakin swiveled around in the pilots chair, and tossed him a silver datapad. "Take this, and record everything that goes on between Ollo and me."

Obi-Wan grinned. "Wow, you've changed, Anakin. You truly are a grown man."

"Why do you say that, Master?"

"For once, you're thinking ahead." Obi-Wan replied, running his fingers along the gleaming datapad recorder. "We'll have indisputable evidence of your innocence."

Anakin nodded. "I'm going to need your help, Master. You too, Afe. I don't think I can take him alone."

The two twins spoke up angrily. "What about us? Don't you need our help?"

Anakin took a hand of both twins and smiled. "I do need your help, my beloved children. What you don't realize is that you've helped me tremendously already. I have a single task for both of you. When we arrive, you stay on the ship and keep it prepared for take off." He tightened his grip on their hands. "I have a feeling we're going to need a quick escape."

Everyone in the _Constantium_ lay sleeping, save Afe and Obi-Wan. The two sat in the main hall, and discussed the mission at hand. Obi-Wan stared at the black goggles that covered her beautiful eyes. He could hear the air purifier hissing, cleansing every breath she took. In that moment, he realized that he loved her. Every magnificent curve of her body, the thin jaw line of her face. Her flaws were even beautiful, but he noted that there weren't many of them. She spoke to him of the mission, but he heard nothing. It was nothing more than a blur passing by him.

In a daring move, one that would have rivaled thegreatestof his Jedi feats, he moved closer and lifted her air purifier. She held her breath as his lips moved over hers. For the first time in his life, Obi-Wan felt the warm comforts of a loving kiss. It seemed unnatural, but also more natural than the sensation of the force flowing through him. A universal paradox. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, a wonderful eternity, he broke the kiss and slid her mask gently back down.

Obi-Wan was enduring the worst torture he had ever felt. The searing blade of a lightsaber against his skin held not a candle to being severed from her physical expression. He could only see the mask. The weight of the event had clouded his mind, and he couldn't read her emotions through the force. It was only when she ran her hand across his cheek that he knew where she stood.

"Well, Mrs. 'Cleevon?'" He asked with a grin, regaining his impish speechcraft. Her reply caught him off guard.

She pulled her mask completely off, dropping it to the floor, and pounced on him.

"Mr. 'Cleevon', you're going to have to be my breath for the next few minutes."


	13. Chapter 11

11

**Ollo** recovered a small chest from his ship and brought it into his makeshift living quarters. With a flip of the switch, it opened to reveal a plethora of fine clothing. Cloaks, masterfully woven tunics, and Corellian boar leather boots. He selected from the neatly folded pile the finest in his collection, and began dressing himself for his final confrontation. As a general would before an ominous battle, he made certain that every thread lay in perfect harmony with the next.

He stood before a mirror, gazing into the reflection of himself. He no longer saw himself, but more the man he had been borne from. For this, he hated Sidious. Ollo would never be allowed to take refuge in his uniqueness. Over his entire life, he was forced to wrestle with the fact that he was nothing more than a replica, a single copy of another. He was a pawn of the Sith, created for the simple task of destroying the Jedi Order. Nothing more, and nothing less. He hated Sidious for this fact, and wished that he could simply disappear. In truth, he had failed at everything he had tried to accomplish. He had failed the Sith.

As he watched his ice-blue eyes twinkle in the low light, he thought of the Republic's Grand Army. They were clones. Thousands upon thousands created to drive back the Separatist forces. They were bred to think of war and nothing more. The clones never had a moment where they pondered their existential meaning. The clones were simply living robots. Ollo felt sorrow for them, but he often wondered if their ignorant lives were more pleasing. The term _ignorance is bliss_ came to mind.

He locked the silver buckle on his belt and pulled a thick shirt over his under-tunic. Every crease was pressed properly. He made certain of it. When everything was in place, he pulled his black robe over his shoulders. It was a gift given to him by Sidious. The only gift he had ever been given, actually. Each shoulder flared out like a billowing cloud, and was then wrapped tightly by the two shield gloves he had created. The collar rose behind his head in smoky blackness, standing rigidly in a royal manner. Behind him, the robe fell long and graceful in thin arcs toward the floor. To a witness, he would have seemed a Prince of a rich nation. This look did not reflect the feelings he held about himself. At this point, he realized that he was nothing. Yes, he was the last remnants of the Sith in the Universe, but what exactly was that? Was it something for him to take consolation in? He was nothing more than the final member of a dying religion.

At length, he buckled the shining buckles on his black Corellian boar boots. They shined sinisterly in the dim light, and they were among his most prized possessions. With a final sigh, he stood tall once again, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. A ghastly visage peered back at him. Though he was the clone of Anakin Skywalker, he knew he could never surpass the hero of the Republic. Even his looks were failing him, replaced with a sick pale face that grimaced in the dim light. Ollo hated himself.

Anakin Skywalker was coming for him. Whether he fought it or not, the young man would soon be standing before him, blue blade of plasma in hand. Ollo understood Anakin's anger, and he regretted his mistakes. If it had not been too late, he would have faced up to his crimes, but now he knew that things had progressed far from that option. It was now time to go unto his death. A time to explode into a supernova instead of fading away into the stars. Though he was going down in flames, he would not do so without giving Anakin Skywalker the fight of his life.

**Anakin** brought the _Constantium_ from hyperspace, guiding it gently into real space. Along the circumference of Dantooine's stratosphere, he saw a forked craft. It's signature 'X' silhouette proclaimed its identity. It was Ollo's skyhook spacestation.

"There," He said, guiding the ship's controls toward the object. "Is everyone ready?"

The four others nodded silently, knowing all too well what lay before them.

"Luke, Leia. I want you two to stay on the ship. Remember what I asked of you."

They nodded again.

Obi-Wan took his leave of the cockpit to clear his head. The recent fluctuation of emotions had clouded his mind, and it worried him. At length he came into the main hall of the ship, where he paced back and forth. There wasn't time for meditation. In his hand he held the silver recording datapad that Anakin had given him. It was strange, that the grouping of electronic circuits and metal fashioned together was the single key at restoring Anakin's reputation. Obi-Wan turned, hearing a voice that, at the moment, was the last he thought he needed.

"Are you alright?" Afe asked, placing her hands on his shoulders.

He sighed. "Afe, I really need to be alone right now."

She could sense exactly what was bothering him. Before she could clarify his mind, he spun around.

"What happened between us has clouded my thoughts. This is exactly why the Order had instated the doctrine of no attachments."

She smiled. "Those doctrines are no more, thanks to your former padawan." After a few moments, she released her grip on his shoulders, and took a seat in front of him. "I want you to ponder this over the next few moments before we go into battle."

"Yes?" He asked, rubbing his brow.

"Let our feelings for each other be your guiding light. Love gives you strength. It is only clouding your mind because you let it. Despite the changes our Order has went through, in a way, you are still clinging to their former teachings."

"I can't help that. For almost forty years it has been drilled into my head."

"I understand that, Obi-Wan," She replied. "But let the force clear your thoughts for you. I believe Anakin went through the same thing not so long ago. I want you to use your feelings for me with every strike against Ollo. Every parry. Every dodge. My feelings for you will reflect back and forth a thousand fold. Love is the key. You love Anakin, do you not?"

"I do."

"Why do those feelings not cloud your mind?"

Obi-Wan ran his fingers along his chin. "Because he is an extension of me. A reflection of my thoughts and teachings. He is my brother. He is, in many respects, my son. His actions fuel my desire to do better."

"Exactly. I want you to use the same thoughts for me. You will find the clarity you so desire, I promise you."

She stood, pulled her mask up, and kissed him deeply.

"I love you, Obi-Wan," She stated quietly. "I loved you from the first time I saw you walking through the temple with Qui-Gon. I was but a girl, not quite old enough to be taken as a padawan learner, but I loved you the same. And time and time again Master Yoda chided me for my deep feelings, but he could never drive them from me." She brushed the light brown hair from his eyes.

Obi-Wan gave a her a final kiss, and checked his light saber, making sure everything was in order. He looked up at her with a twinkle in his eyes. A smile crawled over his face. "Shall we go to war, then, my love?"


	14. Chapter 12

12

**Anakin** guided the ship into the main hangar of the skyhook, bringing it to a low hover over the obsidian floor. With a loud hiss, the landing gears deployed, and touched down. For a long moment, Anakin sat quietly, looking through the viewport about the hangar. There was only one other ship docked, and it was most certainly Ollo's. His face was stone, glowing pale in the false light.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan asked, dragging Anakin from his daydream. "Are you ready to finish this?"

Anakin smiled thinly. "More than you know, Master. More than you'll ever know." He spun around in his chair, and attached his light saber to his belt. "I'm glad the Council doesn't know about this."

"They will shortly. The disturbance caused by our mission will surely be sensed by Master Yoda."

Anakin stood and put his hand on his Masters shoulder. "May the force be with us, Master."

Obi-Wan smiled. "We'll get through this, Anakin."

The three Jedi Masters glided down the landing ramp onto the durasteel floor of the hangar bay. Anakin turned around and looked at his children who stood silently at the top of the ramp.

"Luke, Leia," He whispered, not fully able to speak his feelings. "Stay here and keep the ship prepped for take off."

They nodded.

"I love both of you with all my heart. Remember that."

Tears began to flow down their faces. Both felt a strange sensation that they may never see their father again. Luke was the first to wipe his tears away.

"I love you too father," He said. "And may the force be with you."

Leia, despite how much she wished, could not bring herself to say anything.

"We shall return shortly."

**Ollo** watched in dark silence as the three Jedi made their way through the halls and corridors of the skyhook. The mounted cameras picked up nearly everything. With a flick of a button, he could see the expression on Anakin's face as he ran by. It wouldn't be long until they met for the final time.

Exhaling, Ollo lifted himself up and walked into the main dining area where he had decided previously to wait. He took a seat at the helm of the long table, running his hands along the shining black marble. He missed Corellia, and this table made him feel at home.

It was then that the three Jedi rounded the corner and saw Ollo at the table. Anakin said nothing but closed in on his prey. He watched Ollo intensely, making certain his clone did not try to run. He kept his eyes fixed on his twin's face.

"Don't worry, Anakin," Ollo said with his head down. "I'm not going to try and escape."

"For once, Ollo, you are correct." Obi-Wan piped in, retrieving his light saber from his belt. Silently he depressed a button on the datapad at his side, aiming the camera at Ollo.

Ollo slid back in his chair, and stood. "I suppose we should finish this right now."

Four bars of plasma hissed into reality.

"I am learned in you Jedi customs, so I'll provide the first attack." He leapt onto the table and charged.

"Something's different about him," Anakin said coldly. "He's not quite the..."

"Jerk?" Obi-Wan finished for him.

"Exactly."

The crimson blade slashed down at Anakin first as Ollo flipped over their heads. Without a sound he landed behind them and spun his blade back into defensive position. The three Jedi spread out, surrounding him.

"So this is the way it ends?" Ollo asked, looking at each of them.

"You sound disappointed, Ollo," Obi-Wan retorted. "You do remember that you put yourself into this situation, do you not?" He lurched out with a downward slash.

"I do remember, and I sincerely apologize for my wrong doings." Ollo parried the attack easily, and followed up with a swipe at each of them.

"It's a little late for apologies, Ollo." Anakin leapt back, barely missing a fatal slash at his stomach.

Ollo began to viciously parry their attacks, slowly retreating from the dining room into a long corridor. "I realize that. But I do want you all to know that I'm sorry for what I've done."

Anakin found a gap in his defense, and kicked his twin in the solar plexus, sending him flailing into a wall. "I sense that the corruption of the Dark Side has left you."

"It was a sick lie that was instilled into me from birth, you must understand that." Ollo replied, rising to his feet. "And it has left me now in the worst of moments."

Another attack pushed Obi-Wan off balance, and Ollo used it to drive the Master down to the ground, all the while parrying attacks from both Afe and Anakin. With Obi-Wan sprawled on the floor, he turned his focus on the others. Before retreating once more, he kicked Obi-Wan in the face, knocking him unconscious for good measure.

They moved from the corridor into the main control room, where Ollo began to fling objects at Anakin in a desperate attempt to gain footing on the situation. A flying chair whizzed by Anakin's face, and crashed against a control panel, exploding in shower of sparks and fire. The lights began to flicker. Obviously the panel controlled the entire skyhook. Anakin realized that the spacestation may not be entirely stable after the controls were crushed. It was time to finish this.

Anakin grasped Ollo by the throat with the force, dragging him across the marble floor toward the Jedi Master. Though Ollo seemed ready to pass out by lack of air, he was actually manipulating a steel railing, sending it toward Anakin's head from behind.

Anakin sensed the railing at the last moment, but couldn't stop it. The steel connected with the back of his head, knocking him down. The room went dark, and he saw no more.

Afe looked down at the fallen Skywalker. She could sense that he was not dead, but merely knocked out. With a sigh, she twirled her saber around and prepared for Ollo's attacks.

Ollo, released from Anakin's force grasp, stood and brushed his cloak off. "Two down, and one to go."

"You'll never win, Ollo," She retorted.

He didn't reply, but grabbed her through the force, and threw her against the already crushed control panel. With a grunt, her light saber fell from her hand. In an instant, he was upon her. He tore off her mask, casting it through the air behind him. She began to cough as he punched her in the stomach. He used her flaws against her.

With a sick look on his face, he watched her fight for air, unable to cleanse it properly. She could feel blisters forming in her throat as a reaction of her allergies. After an agonizing eternity, she tried to push him away, but could not muster the strength.

It was then that Ollo felt the cold sensation of steel across the back of his head. He never saw Obi-Wan throwing the same piece of metal that hit Anakin. With a loud report, it knocked Ollo from atop Afe, and he rolled across the marble floor. Obi-Wan didn't succeed in knocking the Sith out, and Ollo took to his feet, running from the room.

With great speed, Obi-Wan ran to Afe's side. Her mask lay broken next to her.

"Afe, can you hear me?"

She said nothing, but shook her head weakly

He knew that she was going to die if he didn't do something. Obi-Wan placed his lips over hers, breathing in the air that from his lungs. With the help of the force, he tried to cleanse every breath that he took. After a few seconds, he pulled from her long enough to slap the unconscious Anakin in the face.

"Anakin, Wake up!"

Anakin didn't stir.

A claxon sounded, warning everyone of the skyhook's position in orbit. With the controls crushed, it seemed to be falling slowly into Dantooine's atmosphere, and there was no way to stop it.

"Oh, this is bad."

He hit Anakin again, and by the force, the young Master opened his eyes. Anakin stood shakily, rubbing the back of his head.

"What happened?" He asked.

"No time to answer," Obi-Wan yelled to him. "Go after Ollo. I have to get Afe back to the ship. She's suffocating!"

Anakin nodded, grabbed his saber from the floor, and began to run from the room.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted again.

Anakin stopped. Without another word, Obi-Wan tossed Anakin his light saber.

"You might need two. And hurry, we have to get out of here! The space station is falling from orbit!"

**Ollo** waited silently in a secondary hangar, rubbing the back of his head. It ached, and not just from the impact of the steel rod. He was tired, and wanted nothing more than to end this and return to Corellia. Soon, he realized, The three Jedi would come after him, and there was nowhere to go from here. Ollo sighed. It wouldn't be long now.

Anakin once again rounded a corner and found Ollo simply standing there. As he advanced toward his twin, he noted the sad look on his face. It seemed almost unnatural that a Sith felt remorse for his crimes. Throughout his career as a Jedi, he had never encountered any criminal that regretted his actions, at least openly.

"Why such a sad face, Ollo?" Anakin asked sincerely.

"You wouldn't understand, Anakin. You've never been enslaved by yourself. By the person you thought you were."

Anakin ignited his light saber once again, feeling the hilt hum to life. "I know how it feels to be enslaved. I was once a slave." He watched Ollo ignite his saber as well. "And I'm sorry, but I can't take you in alive."

"I understand, friend." Ollo replied.

Under any other circumstances Anakin would have spat at the term "friend" from a Sith, but he felt pity for the man. "I have to clear my name."

"Then it is a fight to the death," Ollo said in a whisper.

"Would you have it any other way?"

A smile spread across Ollo's face. "A week ago, perhaps I would have wanted to kill you. But now, things have changed. I just want to disappear now."

"I'm sorry, Ollo."

"I will say, that I wouldn't want to die by any other man's hand than yours."

"You really have lost the heart of the Sith," Anakin replied. "Your emotions convey a feeling that you know you won't win."

Ollo ignited his two shield gloves. "I just don't feel that it's the will of the force for me to win." He brought his crimson bar of plasma to his face in a formal salute. "Let us end this."

Suddenly it seemed as if the floor were giving way. The false gravity wells were failing as the skyhook began falling from Dantooine's orbit. Anakin used the moment to begin the final attack. With an exhalation of air, he lunged forward, slashing diagonally at Ollo. The attack was blocked easily by Ollo, who returned with a similar attack in the opposite direction.

A flurry of attacks ensued from Anakin's saber blade, with slashes and jabs quicker than the eye could see.

"You're really on your game, Skywalker." Ollo said, shunting an attack away with his left shield glove.

"I've never been off it," Anakin replied.

The two began battling furiously through the empty hangar, moving about in graceful arcs as they attacked and parried attacks. At length the two came together in a sizzling saber lock, pressing against each other as their sabers hissed violently. For an infinite moment they stared into each other's matching eyes. For an infinite moment they were one.

"It ends here, Ollo." Anakin said, pressing his saber blade against Ollo's as hard as he could muster.

Another fluctuation in the failing gravity wells shook the skyhook. Through the hangar bay, Ollo could see the luminous horizon of Dantooine's surface as the sun reflected off the atmosphere. He watched the golden hue spread across the planet, and knew it was his end.

The skyhook shook once more, and knocked Ollo off balance. He stumbled back and instantly felt the icy hot blade of Anakin Skywalker's light saber piercing his stomach. It sizzled, superheating his flesh. He could barely feel it. His world became a blur as he stared dumbly at the cerulean bar of plasma in his solar plexus.

Anakin used the force and tossed Ollo across the hangar bay like a ragdoll. With a grunt, the clone slammed into the far wall. Within an instant Anakin was standing next to him.

"I need evidence to clear my name," Anakin said, standing above his clone.

Ollo groaned and held his right arm up. Without hesitation, Anakin flicked his light saber and cut it off at the elbow. It crackled and fell to the floor.

Anakin leaned in and placed his hand on Ollo's shoulder. "Go unto the force with honor, my friend."

Ollo smiled and began to cough burgundy liquid. "Go, Anakin. Get out of here while you can."

**Anakin** was tossed back and forth in the hallways as he made his way back toward the main hangar. His head ached terribly, and he wanted to go home. He wanted to see Padme's face again. The thoughts ran through his mind as the lights began to fail, flickering several times, and falling into darkness. He knew it was up to the force to save him now.


	15. Chapter 13

13

**Anakin** ignited his light saber once more, and searched around. In the thick blue fog of smoke surrounding him, he could barely see his way. He was in a daze. After some time of jogging down hallways that lead into dead ends, he noticed that, in his hand, was the severed arm of his clone. For a long moment he stopped and stared at it. He could barely even remember taking it from Ollo. The last two hours were nothing more than a vicious blur to him. With another sigh, he ducked low and continued through the halls.

**Obi-Wan** searched around in the cockpit and found the switch to power on the fog lights. With a familiar whine, they illuminated the dark hangar. All he could do now was wait for Anakin to return and to keep watch over the ailing Afe.

He ordered the Skywalker twins to keep watch for their father while he tended to Afe. They did as told and he knelt at her side in the first aid station of the _Constantium_.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, sliding his finger across her brow.

She couldn't speak. When she attempted such, only hoarse whimpers escaped from her lips. After a moment of struggling to speak, she gave up and simply nodded.

Obi-Wan adjusted the oxygen mask on her face, letting it fit snugly over her nose and mouth. There he sat staring into her eyes, and at that moment, he struggled with himself. He knew that he needed to go find Anakin and help him if necessary. Though he felt this, he did not want to leave his beloved's side. After fighting with his own heart for an eternity, he kissed her cheek.

"I have to go find Anakin," He whispered into her ear. "If I don't return, I want you to know that I will always love you."

She nodded. He knew that she understood completely. With a final squeeze of her hand, he took her light saber and was off down the landing ramp into the skyhook's interior.

**Anakin** dropped to his knees, coughing violently. The smoke had filled every corridor, and had filled his lungs. He could no longer bring himself to breathe. Vivid images began to flash through his mind, passing in bright flashes. They were of his family. He saw Obi-Wan teaching Leia the basics of manipulating the force. He saw Padme's beautiful face smiling as he returned home. When the images returned to present day, they did not stop. He witnessed his two children passing their Jedi trials. He saw himself as the best man at Obi-Wan's wedding. It was in those final moments that the light of his soul began to fade. Fading glimpses of his past and future began to unwind, unraveling into the abyss of his mind. Anakin knew he was dying, and he did nothing to stop it. _It is the will of the force_, he discerned.

In the dense black smoke a green light flickered. At first Anakin believed it to be a mirage or simply the final moments of his mortality coming to an end. He embraced it, reaching out into the darkness for it's warmth. Then something happened that startled him. It spoke.

"Anakin." It was Obi-Wan's voice. "Follow my light."

Anakin coughed and made his way to his feet. He watched the green lightsaber dwindle in the distance, and he followed it. Apparently, it wasn't the will of the force for him to die. Yet.

After what seemed like an eternity, he saw the bright fog lights of the _Constantium_. He smiled through his coughing fits. He was going to be able to see his children again, and that warmed his heart.

**Obi-Wan **strapped an oxygen mask to Anakin, and took his seat at the helm of the _Constantium_. The ship's engines were already whining and humming idly, shaving off a few needed seconds to escape. The repulsors kicked in, lifting the large craft from it's position on the obsidian hued tarmac, and Obi-Wan pitched the ship around so that it faced the opening of the docking bay. He could clearly see the golden dawn as the skyhook was falling into Dantooine's atmosphere. The light began to fill the pitch black hangar, and Obi-Wan knew they needed to get out of there quick.

"I really do hate flying."

**Ollo** watched the auburn light of Dantooine's dawn as it encased him. It was warm and inviting, filling his soul with a sensation of hope and love. For once in his life he was happy. He hoped that Anakin made it safely from the depths of the skyhook. For a moment he lay in total silence, gazing as the stars faded from view in the sunlight.

As the fatal wounds on his body began to take full effect, he envisioned himself on Corellia walking among the blue fallorn leaves. The crisp touch of their sapphire branches. The warmth of the dirt in his hands. In the final seconds of his life, his soul was on Corellia. He had made peace with the Universe.

The shields began to fail, allowing the friction to tear into the durasteel frameworks of the skyhook. Outer railings simply burned away as the heat cooked the metal into molten liquid. The six spires charred into oblivion quickly, exploding into tiny fragments that would pock mark the surface of Dantooine.

Ollo felt the cold clutches of death, and before he closed his eyes for the final time in his life, he saw the _Constantium_ blast free of the skyhook. It soared through the upper atmosphere of Dantooine, disappearing in a beautiful shimmer of silver and gold. That was all he needed, and his eyes closed. He died with a smile on his face.

**Most** of the skyhook had disintegrated by the time it slammed into the surface, crashing in a wash of orange flames. A charred crater of smoking metal was all that remained of the Sith Lord's spacestation.

**Obi-Wan**held the ship steady as the violent winds rocked it back and forth. Behind him, though he could not see, he was sure the skyhook continued to it's explosive demise. They had succeeded in their mission, and he was happy.

As soon as the ship was safely in orbit, Obi-Wan attended to the two ailing Jedi, and found that they were doing surprisingly well. Anakin was sitting up and giving Afe bacta serum injections. As Obi-Wan entered the room, Anakin tossed him back his light saber.

"I guess I didn't need it after all, Master."

Obi-Wan grinned and pointed at him. "You sir, are one lucky man."


	16. Chapter 14

14

**Anakin** stepped off the final section of the landing ramp, inhaling the warm Coruscanti air. It had been so long since he had smelled the fragrance of smoke and fuel, and he missed it. The gentle twilight of dusk began to slowly swarm over the planet, and once again the countless twinkling lights of Coruscant's city-scape filled the dark void.

Flanking him were his two children, who held him tightly. It was almost as if they were afraid he'd disappear again. They both looked up at their father, watching his expression intently as he gazed out over the skyline. In those moments, they were glad to be home.

The diminutive Whill known as Yoda came limping across the landing pad. Anakin prepared for a beating to end all beatings from the elder Council member. He watched with silent reserve as the small green creature slowly made his way to his feet.

"Oh lord," Anakin whispered to his children. "I'm in so much trouble."

As Yoda arrived at Anakin's feet, he stopped and looked up.

"Sensed the end of the Darkside, we have."

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied with a low bow. "We intercepted Ollo above Dantooine."

Yoda's expression dropped into a frown, which wasn't much different than the norm.

"Directly disobeyed the Council, you did."

"I apologize, Master."

"Apologize do not. Fought well you did."

"I want you and the Council to know my reasoning," Anakin started, hoping to get his excuse in before he was caned to death by a three foot Jedi Master.

"Your reasoning we know, Skywalker. Growing up, you are." Yoda smiled. "Much like Qui-Gon you have become."

"Is that a good thing?"

Yoda leaned upon his gimer stick, surveying the night skies. He seemed an innocent child staring into the limitless heights, but in truth, he was deep in thought. Finally he spoke.

"In a way." He smiled again.

Obi-Wan rounded the corner and began to head down the ramp when he saw Yoda. His eyes expanded like weather balloons, and he turned tail back up the ramp. "I believe I've forgotten some–."

"Obi-Wan," Yoda said, catching his fellow Jedi Master before he could escape back into the recesses of the _Constantium_.

Obi-Wan gave up, and turned around with a huge smile on his face. He knew he was in deep trouble.

"Let your former padawan travel across the galaxy against the Council's judgement, you did."

Obi-Wan cringed. He could feel the scolding ahead.

"Protect many people, you did also." Yoda turned once again to Anakin. "Done the same I would have. Nothing more than their name, the Jedi have."

Yoda noticed that Anakin was holding something wrapped in a thick cloth. His lips pressed together tightly. "Grim times we are all in. Proof of your innocence that is."

Anakin nodded. He wasn't exactly sure what to say in this situation., considering he was holding the severed arm of his clone.For a long moment he just stood staring off at the skyline. His uncomfortable revery was interrupted by the sweetest sound he had ever heard. It was his wife.

"Anakin!" She exclaimed, running to him. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

He embraced her as if he'd never be able to again. Her warmth filled his heart with a joy he had almost forgotten.

"What are you doing here, Anakin?" She asked. "You are a fugitive of the Republic."

Anakin smiled. "I have proof of my innocence." He held out the wrapped up arm.

She took the piece of cloth and unwrapped it. With a cringe she understood what he meant.

"I also have a recording of the clone and I dueling," Anakin continued. "Thanks to Obi-Wan."

**Padme** stood at her podium at the epicenter of the Senate chambers. With a proud expression on her face, she recounted Anakin's perilous story.

"And you will see," She stared Mas Amedda down. "That the DNA testing completed on the arm proves conclusively that it was an identical clone of Anakin Skywalker. You will all remember that he lost his arm almost a decade prior at the battle of Geonosis."

The Senate roared with approval. It was obvious that they were all glad to have the hero of the Republic back in good graces. Their timbre was so loud they could barely hear her begging for order. The universe was once returning to normal. Once the shouting and cheering had died down, she spoke again.

"There is also a recording of Anakin Skywalker confronting the impostor." She tapped a few keys on the podium's controls. "This video is being sent to each and every one of you."

It was now completed. Anakin's name was cleared.

"I now would like to call Senator Amedda to the floor."

Mas Amedda's face dropped. He could tell his career was going to be torn apart within the next few seconds. With a sullen face, he directed his floating podium to the main floor in front of Amidala.

"Your recent accusations, Amedda, have not only went unfounded, but have been entirely proven otherwise." Padme's tone was angered. This man had challenged her husband's honor, and it was time for him to formally pay. "Your assumptions were entirely made public in an attempt to deface a Jedi Master's name. This will not do, Senator."

"My accusations we–."

"Your accusations were irrational and wrong. You accused a **_Jedi_** of committing multiple murders. Not only was he a Jedi Master, but more importantly the Supreme Chancellor's husband. My husband!"

His face never left the ground where it lay.

"These accusations have sullied your name, and I would like everyone regardless of race and creed to think twice before believing _anything_ this man says. Furthermore, I would like to move for your immediate removal from all Senatorial offices."

"Supreme Chancellor, with all due respect!"

"Yes, Senator, with all due respect. With all due respect I ask you to formally resign from office and allow a less brash Senator to take your place. It is not healthy for Democracy to have irrational voices among the easily swayed Populus."

Amedda snarled. "That sounds like something Palpatine would say."

"It may or may not, Senator. In some respects, Palpatine was a wise leader. I do not, and will never condone any of his actions, but nevertheless, I must say that we must keep our Grand Republic healthy for the Galaxy's sake."

Amedda was absolutely speechless. His career was crumbling at the hands of this..._human._

"We will vote on the subject at the next Senate Session. Until then, I want to publicly proclaim that our loyal protectors, the Jedi are still with us. They serve goodwill only, and have never committed any crimes. I would like to personally thank them for their service."

With that, she returned to her seat. It was all over. Finally the Republic could return to normality. She could spend time with her husband without fear of being called an enemy of the state. Her husband was once again safe, and that lightened her heart. Levity would once again reign in her life. The stresses of serving the Universe had always hindered that, and with luck it would never do so again.


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**The** golden sun shown proudly across the fields of Dantooine, dancing between the swaying blades of grass. A mesmerizing hue that penetrated every living creature on the bluff. The rays shimmered across a small water hole nearby, reflecting upwards in thousands of glittering sparkles. Upon a hilltop where the skyhook had impacted the surface, a throng of people gathered. It had been nearly a year since the death of Ollo, and though the crater was gone, covered in lovely flowers of pink and yellow hues, Anakin could still sense his clone.

Anakin stood at the front of the gathering dressed in his finest: A long brown cloak with silver embroidery. He sensed the presence of his clone, and understood that after everything had ended, Ollo was at peace with his past, his crimes, and most importantly, himself. In a way, this had a similar effect on Anakin. He now looked at his wife, children and friends everyday and truly savored every moment. After all, that was what life was, a vast series of moments and emotions. The Universe had finally come back into sanity. He realized that since his birth, he had never known a time where his life was even the least bit sane. It was the first true time his heart was at peace..

He took a brief glance at all the guests. There at the head were the members of the Jedi Council. Yoda chewed on his gimer stick happily. Mace Windu seemed to have the weight of the Universe finally lifted from his shoulders. Every other member seemed so much younger, and paradoxically older and more mature.

On the opposite side were the politicians. At least the one's Obi-Wan liked. It was, after all his ceremony. There was Padme, Bail, and Mon Mothma sitting next to each other. The remainder of the guests were made up of various politicians and Jedi Knights. A cheerful emotion swept over the vast plane of the force. This was a time of joy.

Next to Anakin stood Obi-Wan Kenobi. A thick sweat beaded down over his brow as he looked out over the vast number of guests.

Anakin leaned close. "You're sweating."

Obi-Wan smiled, thinking back so many years at himself makingthe same comment.

"Anakin, you're becoming too much like me."

Before Anakin could respond with his general witty comment, the crowd hushed, and Obi-Wan could plainly be seen clenching his fists.

He leaned over to Anakin. "How can it be that you know that this woman loves you and you are still ready to keel over with nervousness?"

"Master," Anakin snickered. "I have never heard you say anything like that. I'm beginning tothink you're in love."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "I want to thank you Anakin for being my best man," He said, changing the subject quickly. "You'll never understand what it means to me." Before he could continue, another hush swept across the crowd.

Obi-Wan saw her before anyone else, stepping in time with the gentle music of the calamari band. For once she wore no mask at all, giving him a glimpse of her magnificent face. The atmosphere of Dantooine had not aggravated her allergies. The pale visage of her face that lacked pigment was more than made up with her vivid expression of happiness. Obi-Wan's eyes welled up with tears for the first time he could remember. The ceremony was beautiful.

She gracefully marched toward Obi-Wan to the altar, keeping her eyes locked on him the entire time. Her dress was beautiful, with a thin silver cloak draping over her shoulders and a veil over her face. Though she said nothing, in his mind she echoed the words _I will love you until my dying breath_ over and over.

As she reached the altar, the music elegantly halted. The Jedi minister took his place between the two.

"We have traveled here from afar," He started, projecting his voice across the hilltop. "To be witness to the wondrous event of holy union. The two Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Afe Nang-Da have entered into the sacred circle of love. Though this is a new part of a Jedi's life, it is nonetheless meaningful. These two souls have been bound together through the force, reflecting outward into our own hearts."

Obi-Wan's hands were shaking violently. His eyes concentrated on the blue irises of Afe's, struggling to keep his emotions at bay. This was the most difficult moment in his life.

The minister continued his speech, but Obi-Wan heard none of it. He was in a blur of emotions that spun in drunken circles through his brain.

Finally the minister asked for the rings. The two Skywalker twins stepped forth and handed them the gold bands. They glittered in the evening sunlight.

"Do you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, take Afe Nang-Da to hold and to protect for all your living days?"

A choked "I do" came forth. With shaking hands, he placed the golden band onto her finger.

"And do you, Afe Nang-Da, take Obi-Wan Kenobi to protect and cherish until your final breath?"

"I do." She slid the glittering ring onto his finger.

"From now on to the end of days, from your morning years until your dusk, I pronounce you man and wife. Obi-Wan Kenobi, you may kiss the bride."

With the final syllable ringing through his head like a silver bell in the crispmorning air, his mouth rushed toward Afe's. He barely remembered to lift her veil before he kissed her.

The crowd exploded into applause. The second ever wedding of a Jedi had come to be, and it could have not been more beautiful. Anakin watched as his master walked hand in had with his new wife down the aisle. With a smile and a single tear falling from his eye, he whispered to himself.

"There goes my hero."

**THE END**

_(I would like to thank everyone who supported me on this work. You have no idea how much this means to me. I've slaved over the computer for the last two months on this series, and it has been all worth it. The same shout outs go for this one, so I won't waste your time)._

_(To be concluded in the final installment coming soon)._


	18. Afterward

_**Afterward**_

_(The story continues in: Balance of the Force)._


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